The present invention relates generally to sheet material supporting arrangements and more particularly to a device for attaching sheet material to a vertically extending face of a fixed support member. While the present invention is applicable to wall structures or arrangements generally, it is particularly applicable to exterior siding structures or arrangements which utilize polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or other suitable siding material, such as aluminum.
Vinyl siding, as it is commonly referred to, has been used for a number of years as a finished exterior surface on building structures, particularly residential structures. It is typically laid up in overlapping courses starting with a lowermost course or starter course, and progressing upwards. The vinyl siding can be applied separately to an already assembled siding surface or it can be part of an overall laminate including a backer panel, for example, fiber board. In either case, the sheets of siding are attached to an existing support structure and vertically interlocked to one another in an overlapping fashion at their adjoining top and bottom edges.
One typical way in which individual siding sheets are interlocked together is by providing each sheet with a top interlocking section and a complimentary bottom interlocking section. Thus, the overlapping top and bottom edges of adjoining siding sheets in adjacent courses can be interlocked together. However, before a given sheet of siding is interlocked with the sheet above, it must be attached to the fixed support structure. There have been a number of suggested ways in which to accomplish this. One way is illustrated in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,158,960 (Newton et al). There, a top edge portion of the vinyl siding of a laminated panel is provided with slots through which nails are driven to fasten the top edge of the overall panel including the vinyl siding to a fixed support structure, all in one step. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,004 (Mattes), the backing board itself is first nailed to the fixed support structure, at its lowermost edge, and then the backing board is covered with the exterior siding. Still another method of attachment is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,531 (Jones), wherein individual attachment plates are first nailed to the existing support structure and then the vinyl siding is interlocked to the attachment plates in a nailess manner. More specifically, each attachment plate includes what may be referred to as a longitudinally extending beaded channel and the vinyl siding includes what may be referred to as a beaded flange for interlocking engagement in the beaded channel.
As will be seen hereinafter, the present invention provides still another way in which to attach the vinyl siding to a fixed support structure, a way which is rapid, accurate and economical.